Resigned Georgian ministers may retain their offices - EU rapporteur

Georgia's Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze and State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Alexi Petriashvili, who earlier resigned from their offices, can retain their positions, the European Parliament Rapporteur on Georgia Andrejs Mamikins told Trend Nov. 6 citing sources in Georgia.

He said the Georgian officials are interested in keeping all the ministers and deputy ministers, who resigned earlier, in their offices, except for the defense minister, Irakli Alasania.

Mamikins said the negotiations with Panjikidze and Petriashvili are currently being held. He expressed hope that resignations of the mentioned ministers will not be accepted.

He said there is a very serious situation in Georgia, and the European Parliament, its foreign affairs committees and the political group of socialists and democrats express deep concern over the situation.

"Prior to adoption of the association agreement by the European Parliament in Strasbourg in December, it is extremely unprofitable to change ministers and extremely bad that both Alex Petriashvili and all the foreign ministry's leading part are resigning," Mamikins added.

He also expressed hope that the Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili will manage to persuade the Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze and the deputy ministers to stay at their posts.

Mamikins also said he hopes that the current political crisis in Georgia will not affect the ratification of the association agreement with the European Union, and that Georgia's path on strengthening of political relations with the EU will remain unchanged.

Earlier, on Nov. 4, following a meeting of the 'Georgian Dream' bloc's political council, the Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili said he dismissed the Defense Minister Irakli Alasania.

After Alasania, his colleague - the State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Alexi Petriashvili announced about his resignation.

On Nov. 5, the Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze and her three deputies resigned as well.